Scale Aircraft Conversions 1/48 F-16 Fighting Falcon Landing Gear First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | August 2009 | Manufacturer | Scale Aircraft Conversions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-16 Fighting Falcon Landing Gear | Scale | 1/48 |
| Set Number | 48042 | Primary Media | White Metal |
| Pros | Stronger 'drop-in' alternative to the kit landing gear | Cons | None noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $16.95 |
First Look
Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) produces an impressive array of white metal replacement landing gear for a variety of models. Some of these sets correct different issues that appeared in production kits, while others are simple common sense replacements to have stronger landing gear on your model.
This release is one of more than 60 landing gear sets available in 1/48 scale and is targeted for the Tamiya releases of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. This is the 'heavy' landing gear that was adopted to most of Israel's Viper fleet and introduced into the F-16 production line starting with the Block 40/42. The gear supports a greater take-off and landing weight for the Block 40/42 Night Attack (LANTIRN) Vipers as well as the Block 50/52 Wild Weasels. The most notable detail difference is the absence of the landing lights on the main gear struts as these were moved to the nosegear door due to the LANTIRN pods blocking the landing lights when they were on the main gear. SAC also produces the gear used on the F-16A/B and Block 25-32 F-16C/D Vipers in set 48041. These sets are tailored to the Tamiya kits and you'll need to be sure to match the set with the variant you're building.
One nice aspect of aftermarket landing gear like these from SAC is that you can make the change anytime, even after the kit's gear buckles for whatever reason. Unlike an aftermarket cockpit or other details that need to be incorporated during construction, you can easily extract the old styrene gear and plug in these replacements once you've got them primed and painted. Of course you can plan ahead and use them during your build-up and avoid the problems in the first place.
You can obtain SAC landing gear from your favorite hobby retailer or online hobby shop. If your retailer can't get these for you and you can't this set at your favorite online retailer, then you can get quick service from Scale Aircraft Conversions directly.
My sincere thanks to Scale Aircraft Conversions for this review sample!